Hot hatchbacks are valued here in the United States--but across the pond in the United Kingdom, they're truly adored. The Brits have plenty of hot hatches to choose from, which leads to long debates about which is the hottest and, presumably, the hatchiest.
One of the all-time greats is the Renault Clio RS, thanks to its plucky power and sharp looks. But Ford is now ready to challenge the French king by way of the ultra-compact Fiesta ST. Additionally, it's getting some help from the folks at Mountune.
To figure out which of the two was best, Chris Harris lined them both up and took to the track. The Ford Fiesta ST, thanks to Mountune, pumps out 217 horsepower. Renault's Clio RS pushes out around 200 horsepower. Ford serves up its hatch with a six-speed manual gearbox, while the Renault has a dual-clutch paddle-shifted unit.
It's a perfect match, at least until around 40 miles per hour. It's clear that the extra oomph from the Mountune-juiced Fiesta ST takes over from there, and the Ford begins to walk away from its rival in a straight line.
Harris also talks about running both cars on a track. Here he mentions that he enjoys the supple ride of the Renault, but praises the over-steering excitement of the Fiesta ST.
To hammer home the hot hatchback argument, Chris takes one last stab at the Renault Clio. This time, however, he's in a Clio Sport Cup Car that's been set up for racing. The course is Silverstone--and the front-wheel-drive antics appear excellent.
If you have your eyes set on the Ford Fiesta ST, you're in luck: Mountune is bringing their tuning know-how to the states. This means warranty-backed fun for any adventurous Fiesta ST owners.
Should you prefer the Renault Clio RS, however, your best bet is to move to a country where they're sold.
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